The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-05-18
Fashion Matters.

The only street wraps in vogue now are
the jaunty jackets Of checked goods or soft,
smooth kerseys, made with capuchin hoods
and lined with gay satins. They set off a
pretty figure to excellent advantage, and
seem just the kind of garment for wear on
the streets during the mild weather of
spring. The newest tint in which the kerr
sew comes, which is made up for these
jackets, is a kind of elephant gray, a little
lighter than the usual shade.
The fashionable couture becomes, 1
might almost say, hourly higher; there is
some fear lest it approach in size, and in
other ways as well, to the head dresses of
Marie Antoinette days, when women were
compelled to stagger beneath huge loads of
hair, jewels, combs and ornaments of vari-
Gus descriptions upon their heads, all for
the sake of fashion. The present style of
dressing the hair for evening occasions
certainly includes some of the worst feat
ures of the eighteenth century absurdities,
inGsmuch as ribbons, jewels, large orna-
mental pins and enormous combs are con-
sidered az fat.
A fashionable model for a waist, intend
ed for indoor wear, is developed in French
albatross cloth, and is in blouse shape,
belted in at the waist by wide band,
clasped with an ornamental buckle in
front. Two broad velvet revers, conveying
somewhat the idea of rolling collar, pass
from the shoulders loosely across the bust,
and meet in front. Below this point, sew
eral small buttons fasten the garment but
above it, inclosed between the revers,
vest of plaid velvet, made plainly. stretches
to the collar, which is of plain velvet. On
this garment the cuffs are quite broad, and
are of plaid velvet, instead of agreeing with
the collar.
The skirt to be worn with this waist is of
albatross cloth, with draperies of the same
falling in smooth folds nearly to the skirt
| bottom, in front and at the back, gracefully
| looping on each side.
Blouse waists will be extremely popular,
il is thought, for wear during the summer
with dresses in any of the lighter fabrics,
such as crepeline, nuns yelling, and India
silks.
The Parsians show decided tendency
toward the wearing of those airy, cling
ing, indescribable gowns affected by their
adored Sarah Bernhard But however
graceful the fair tragedienne appears in
the peculiar costumes she wears, few other
women, l fancy, could assume those
dresses to the. same advantage. Bern
hardts figure is n very peculiar one, and,
besides shall / whisper it?-she doesn't
! wear corsetsl
Entire costumes of lace, made mp over
foundation dresses, will be extremely fash
ionable this summer. Guipure, Chantilly,
and Spanish laces are chosen, and much
taste may be exercised upon the draperies,
which can be very readily made to hang in
the most graceful folds. During the warm
weather the bodices of such dresses will be
made so that the foundation ceases upon
the shoulders leaving the arms covered
only bv the lace overdress.
Wall flowers. cut from velvet in appro-
pirate tints, are prominent in the most re-
cent mill merry designs. Fern leaves aud
lace are attraciively combined on some of
tn new bonnets. Bead trimmings will not
lie very greatly in vogue for the coming
months, ard will lie relegated 10 the back
shelves till the cold weather appears.